


Day 2: Fate - Edward

by Gottaread2



Series: Day 2: Fate - Star-crossed Souls [2]
Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon-Typical Violence, Fate, M/M, Nygmobblepot Week 2019, Reincarnation, Soulmates, Temporary Character Death, Tragic Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-25
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-11-18 15:36:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18123179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gottaread2/pseuds/Gottaread2
Summary: From that moment on, their souls were bound in a continuous loop. Destined to repeat the same sad story throughout time, but not forever.*Do you believe in fate?*





	Day 2: Fate - Edward

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully there won't be too much confusion, but just in case here is a quick explanation of a few things. This au borrows from canon, but doesn't follow it at all. For instance, Oswald is already a boss with power comparable to his season 4 self in this fic. In this universe, reincarnation is real, although most people don't know about it. Oswald only knows about it due to magical circumstances. Ed does not know about it through most of the story. Okay, hopefully this is clear enough lol.

_Long ago, in a kingdom now forgotten, there was a scholar with a brilliant mind which he used in service of the king. Through the knowledge and wisdom he found in books, the scholar was able to advise the king, bringing prosperity to the kingdom and victory over their enemies. The king highly valued his counsel, but that was not all he valued from the scholar. The king had fallen in love with him and he, in return, loved the king. Though he was loved, the scholar often questioned his value to the king. He sought to prove his worth and earn a place at his beloved ruler's side. So when the scholar learned of a conspiracy against the king, he began investigating it on his own. It was strange the way their enemy always seemed one step ahead of him and the scholar began to worry he would not uncover the truth before harm came to his king. But fortune smiled upon him, or so the hapless scholar thought, when he finally discovered the name of the traitor and proof of their guilt._

_When the king invited the scholar to a romantic dinner, the scholar decided this would be the perfect gift to bring, to disclose all he had learned about the traitor's identity. The scholar was excited to finally have the chance to prove himself. What better way than to out the snake in the king's own court? The scholar entered the dining hall and saw the king already seated and waiting for him. He made his way with a smile, taking his place at the king's side. Before the meal, the king proposed a toast. The scholar raised his glass to their shared love and health before downing the contents. He did not see the king's perturbed frown. As they ate, they conversed as they always did. The scholar proudly shared the information he'd uncovered, anticipating the king's favor._

_Instead, he was met with horrified eyes widening at his news. The king erupted into tears, weeping aloud. It was not the reaction he had expected. Concerned, the scholar took the king's hands wondering what had caused the king to become so upset. Before he could ask, he felt a violent pain. What? As convulsions racked his body, the scholar watched the pained expression on his king's face. The scholar's breaths came in ragged gasps as he struggled to breath. How? Understanding struck him right through the heart. He was poisoned by the king! As his vision blurred and he faded away there was only one thought left to him. With his last breath he voiced it. Why? His answer would not come. Not until his next life. Born again as a usurper to the throne, he would learn the truth only after killing his beloved king. From that moment on, their souls were bound in a continuous loop. Destined to repeat the same sad story throughout time, but not forever._

* _Do you believe in fate?_ * 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

***** 

_History was repeating itself once more for these star-crossed souls. Oswald was kingpin of Gotham's underworld and Edward was his most trusted confidant. His right hand. Edward had also fallen in love with the mobster and would do anything for him. But once again, as was the pattern, there was a traitor in their midst. Edward desperately investigated the matter, knowing he needed to find the culprit before suspicion fell on him. It always did eventually, but maybe this time would be different. Maybe this time Edward would find a way to escape their fate. But maybe this time he was too late again..._

"You see... you really should have seen this coming, Mr. Nashton. Spies and snitches don't last long in this business." Oswald said spitefully.

"Please, this isn't what it looks like!" Edward pleaded. 

"Oh? What is it then? Enlighten me." Oswald sneered, but before Edward could explain himself, the mob boss continued, "Because to me, it looks like you were snooping around my things. It looks like you infiltrated my business to rat me out to the GCPD. And it looks like this is the end for you."

"Oswald, don't..."

"You don't get to call me that!" Oswald hissed angrily, gun raised, "Goodbye, Mr. Nashton."

Edward held his breath. Oswald had the gun pointed at him, but his hands trembled. Edward could see it in the other's expression. He was hesitating. But Edward already knew how this would end. He knew there would be no way to talk his way out of this. He loved Oswald, but he knew the man had killed him before and would do so again. He didn't judge him for it. How could he when he had done the same? But now wasn't the time to dwell on that. Edward had to do something. If he didn't, history would repeat itself and they would stay trapped in the cycle. 

Edward took advantage of Oswald's hesitation and readied the dagger he had hidden on him. Suddenly, he lunged forward and knocked the gun from Oswald's grasp. Edward pinned him to the ground. Oswald thrashed beneath him with a shrill shriek, trying to break free.

Edward used all his strength to hold Oswald down and began quickly carving into the first available patch of bare skin he could reach. Along the place where neck met shoulder, he pressed the blade in carefully. He wasn't trying to kill Oswald. The man's struggles were making the task impossibly difficult, but there was little else Edward could do. He knew he didn't have long. This had to work!

Edward etched his mark into Oswald's skin. A question mark. Through every life he'd lead, the question mark was an important symbol to Edward. He knew when he was reborn, it would be without any recollection of this. Without any memory of Oswald or all the feelings he held for the man. He knew if he didn't do something, he would kill Oswald in his next life. This was a gamble, but it was also his only chance. Edward pinned his hopes onto this symbol, knowing it would always mean something to him. He had to believe his future self would figure out the mystery before it was too late. That somehow he would understand how important Oswald was to him and finally escape fate.

Edward leaned in closer, making the final curve of the mark when Oswald reared up, headbutting him in the nose. Edward howled in pain, falling back with tears in his eyes. Tears of pain and tears of anguish. This was it, wasn't it? He didn't want to die. Edward looked up in time to see that Oswald had recovered the gun and aimed it once more in his direction. _No!_ He shook his head in despair. _No. No. Please, my love..._

BANG!

  
  


***** 

_Edward Nygma had always felt drawn to the mysteries and darkness of the world around him. Perhaps it was for this reason that the young man found himself an employee of the GCPD. He wasn't a cop. No, he was in forensics. Brain over brawn, unlike the buffoons in blue. Edward was mostly content in his work, in his life, but there was the ever present feeling that something was missing or that he hadn't found his proper place. Like a missing piece to his puzzle. That is, until the day _He_ walked in. The Penguin. His reputation preceded him and Edward himself had seen many of the corpses left behind by the dangerous man. Never a scrap of evidence to connect him to the murders, but he knew his work nevertheless. But this was Edward's first time seeing the man in person and it was like finding his missing piece..._

Edward knew him immediately from the descriptions he'd overheard. Raven hair swept back like the crest of a bird, impeccably dressed in finely tailored suits, a cane in hand to assist his distinctive limp. So this was the infamous Penguin. The man glanced in his direction for just a moment and Edward's breath caught in his throat. Like a jolt. Briefly, a scene flashed in his mind...

_The sound of swing trumpeted from a stage patterned in diamonds of icy blues and royal purples. The music was lively, setting dancers in motion across the floor. Billionaire playboys and spoiled heiresses, crooks from gangsters to politicians, as well as renown musicians and famous singers, all gathered in one place set against a backdrop of glamorous deco interiors. This was the Iceberg Lounge. Anyone who was anyone was there every weekend to dance, drink, and indulge in every luxury or sin. He knew this and he knew he wasn't just anyone. His name, Riddler, meant something in the city of Gotham. With confidence, he strutted through the crowd like he owned the place catching the blue eyes of the one who did. The man grinned widely as he joined him at his table._

_"Edward! Just the man I wanted to see!" The Penguin crowed, "I hear it was your genious that helped me out of my... predicament."_

_"Indeed it was." The Riddler purred, "A toast to your good fortune!"_

_Their glasses clinked..._

And Edward was brought back to the present. The image in his mind intrigued him. It felt like memory, that fantasy in his mind. How odd. Edward shook the thought away looking back at the Penguin. 

Strange daydreams aside, Edward felt irresistibly drawn to the man. Like some greater force connected them. He watched as the Penguin made his way towards the exit, mirroring his every move. Edward didn't understand his strange vision or where the compulsion to be closer came from, but he knew he had to speak to the Penguin before he left. Just as he was about to catch up to him the man turned around abruptly.

"Can I help you?" The Penguin said, sounding more like a command than an inquiry.

Edward couldn't resist the chance to play with him a bit, answering back playfully, "I don't think so. Can you?"

"What do you want?"

The Penguin didn't look amused. Although the man had chuckled, his expression resembled more a leer than a genuine smile. It was quite intimidating, but this only served to interest Edward more. He wouldn't back down that easily.

"What I want the poor have, the rich need, and if you eat it you die." Edward countered, with a smile. 

A riddle, his signature move. This all felt like a game to Edward and he was interested to see what move the Penguin would make next. The Penguin glared back at him.

"You're asking me a riddle." 

"Do you like riddles?" Edward asked, genuinely curious.

"No."

"So do you give up?" Edward questioned excitedly, undeterred by the Penguin's lack of enthusiasm for riddles. He waited only a moment, not really hearing the man's response, before providing the answer himself, "Nothing. The answer is nothing. The poor have it, the rich need it, and if you ea-"

The Penguin held up a hand, as if to halt his babbling. Edward stopped speaking. Was the Penguin impressed with him? He certainly hoped so.

"Who are you?" 

"Edward. Nygma." Edward answered.

The Penguin's eyes widened at the name. Was it possible he'd heard of a nobody like himself? The thought of it thrilled Edward. A dangerous and powerful man like the Penguin had actually heard of him. His chest swelled with pride.

"I know who you are." Edward told him excitedly. 

He wanted to tell him more. He wanted to tell him that somehow he just knew they were destined to meet. He wanted to know more about the man behind the moniker Penguin. There must be some reason Edward felt this mysterious pull towards him.

"Then you know you're standing too close." the Penguin threatened. 

Maybe he came on a little strong. Edward took a single step back and looked up to the other man expectantly. Penguin's move. Edward waited, but he turned on his heel and walked briskly away. So much for a connection between them. It seemed the Penguin didn't feel the same way.

  
  


***** 

_The pull Edward felt towards the Penguin did not end after that first encounter. If anything, the absence only fueled Edward's desire to see him again even more. He became more interested than ever in any cases involving the mob boss, even taking on extra work to learn more. Edward was so preoccupied by this that he hadn't noticed he was being watched and followed on a daily basis. Had he noticed them, things may have been different. As it was, Edward was not made aware of the men tailing him until danger was already upon him..._

Edward had stayed late, working extra hours to satisfy his own curiosity over a case. Now, it was dark and the streets were mostly empty as he walked home. Edward didn't give it much consideration, still lost in thought, until the sound of gunfire rang out behind him! He ducked his head and ran for the nearest cover.

Peaking out from behind a parked car, Edward could see four men facing off against each other. Another lay already dead only a few paces away, his sightless eyes staring back at Edward. He lowered himself to the ground and shimmied under the car, hoping to remain hidden. From his hiding place Edward watched, flinching at the sound of every shot. Within seconds, another man went down and his partner fled. Shots followed the fleeing man but he got away.

Afterwards, the two remaining gunmen scanned the area as though looking for something or maybe someone. One stepped over to the body in front of Edward, kneeling down to search his pockets while his partner did the same with the other. Edward was terrified at the thought of being discovered. The man closest to him looked in his direction. Edward's heart thudded wildly in his chest. The man called the other and Edward panicked, frozen.

_Had he been spotted?_

The two men exchanged a few whispered words and then began walking away. They passed by the car Edward was hiding under and Edward went completely still, holding his breath. Finally, the footsteps began fading in the distance. Edward's body went limp, tension he hadn't realized was there finally dissipating. He layed his cheek against the pavement and just inhaled shaky breaths. The cold of the ground seeped into his skin, an almost calming distraction from the thoughts racing through his mind. 

His ankle layed against the side of a tire wrenched back suddenly! Unseen hands clamped around him and dragged him from beneath the car. _Oh crud._ It was the same men from before! Edward fought off his attackers kicking and thrashing to no effect. The men were strong and quickly subdued him. The only thing he'd accomplished was the loss of his glasses. Now one held him in place as the other yanked his arms behind his back and bound his wrists together.

Edward heard the clack of heals behind them. The steps paused with a ruffling sound of fabric and a moment later his glasses were settled back on his face by feminine hands. The owner of the hands was careful to remain beyond his periphery keeping her identity a mystery. Edward tried to turn to see but was grabbed roughly by the hair, holding him in place.

"So this is Oswald's little secret." A woman's voice said behind him, "You must be important to Penguin to be so well guarded. Too bad for you, I was better prepared."

_Penguin?_

Edward was confused. This woman clearly had no idea what she was talking about. Why would he be important to the Penguin? He had only ever met the man once and had only seemed to be a bother to him. What did she mean well guarded? Those men from earlier, the ones this woman's men had shot, were they Penguin's men?

"So what do we do with him, boss?" One of the men snickered.

"Here." the woman held out a piece of paper to the thug before continuing, "Take him to that location and do as instructed. Penguin had this guy protected for a reason. Either he agrees to pay the ransom or we torture this man for information. Call me after you've made contact."

The grip on his hair was released. The two men took hold of him, one at each arm, and lead Edward away to a nearby car. He was settled into the backseat, one man beside him with his gun jabbed into Edward's ribs to prevent him from 'trying anything funny.' The other man took the driver's seat, starting the car and drove away.

It wasn't long before he realized they were leaving the city. Buildings on the outskirts of Gotham gave way to woods as Edward watched out his window. This wasn't good. Being taken to such a remote location couldn't possibly be good. The deeper into the woods they went the more urgency Edward felt. He had to escape! 

It wasn't the best plan, but it was the only thing he could think of. He could either try now or be tortured later when Penguin didn't pay the price for him. Edward knew this was his only chance, slim as it was. He looked to the gunman beside him without turning his head. Just a stealthy side glance. The man was wearing a bored expression, tapping a finger on his knee. He looked distracted. Good enough. 

"What is unknown to you, but known to me? What has an eye, but doesn't see?" Edward asked his captor.

"What?" the man's confused expression was priceless.

"Surprise!"

And it was. Edward lunged at the man, grabbing hold of the hand holding the gun and trying to knock it away. The man was slow to react but began to fight back. Gunshots were fired. _Bang, bang!_ The car swerved. _Bang!_ The driver had been shot. The car went out of control and into a tree. The force of the impact sent the gunman flying forward, out the windshield with a crash. Edward's seatbelt mostly held him in place, but his head hit the seat in front of him. Dazed, Edward began scrambling to unbuckle his belt. He opened the door and fell out of the vehicle. He was bleeding and a sharp pain pierced his shoulder. No time to think about that. Edward ran, crashing through brushy paths between trees as fast as he could go. 

He had run far away, worn and in pain, when he abruptly came out into a clearing. Someone was there. A man. Edward saw the car, the shovel, and the freshly dug earth. His exhausted mind told him he'd escaped one danger only to fall immediately into another. This must be kismet and he was too tired to fight it. The man turned to face him and somehow it was the Penguin.

"Help me." Edward whimpered, clutching his bloodied shoulder, "Please."

He collapsed.

  
  


***** 

_"I would like you to have this as a token of our frienship."_

_Edward reached out a hand to take the emerald tie from Oswald, but the man caught his wrist, lowering it back to Edward's side. He proceeded to loop his gift around Edward himself. Oswald's careful hands made the knot, sliding the fabric through to tighten it gently against Edward's throat. His fingers brushed lightly across the skin there. Edward blushed at the touch and the way Oswald's direct gaze met his own. He averted his eyes, head down. Oswald's hand came up under his chin and tilted his face so Edward couldn't look away._

_"Never bow your head to me, Ed." Oswald said, "Why do you look away?"_

_"I was afraid you would see more than friendship."_

_Edward licked his lips, suddenly noticing how close Oswald's face was. The other's hand slid up to cup his cheek and drew him closer. Edward continued, "I worried what you would do if you saw through me."_

_"I do see you, Ed." Oswald whispered against his lips..._

He awoke heated by the memory. No, a dream? It had to be a dream. He opened his eyes to the sight of pale blue eyes staring down into his own. Familiar eyes. The same eyes from his dream. The look was one of concern and caring. Edward felt he'd known that loving gaze all his life and still hadn't expected to see it there. Why would the Penguin look at him that way? They hardly even knew one another. The Penguin quickly turned his back on him and Edward began to wonder if he'd only imagined it. 

"How are you feeling?" Penguin asked him.

"I've been better." Edward groaned, feeling a dull, throbbing pain in his shoulder, "Thanks for helping me."

"Of course."

"You say that as though it makes sense for you to help me. I know who you are, Mr. Penguin. Why would a mob boss help someone who works at the GCPD?"

It didn't make sense. And why would he have his own men watching over Edward? What had the woman meant when she'd called Edward his secret? Edward wanted to ask these questions, but the Penguin had one of his own.

"Are you a cop?" 

"No." Edward answered.

Penguin sighed, "Then there's no harm in helping you... provided you're not here to snoop around."

"I'm not." Edward reassured.

The Penguin seemed to relax upon hearing it. But why would he trust him so readily? If Edward were working for the GCPD and planning to snitch, there's no way he would've just admitted it. And even if the Penguin did trust he was telling the truth, why risk it? The man wasn't exactly known for being altruistic. As far as Edward was aware, everything the Penguin did was calculated. He always benefited from it one way or another. So what was the benefit this time?

"But there's no gain either. Why save me?"

"Do you believe in fate?" 

The question caught him off guard. He remembered the magnetic effect the man had on him and the strange flashes of scenes in his mind that felt like memories. But there must be a logical explanation for these. 

Edward considered it before voicing his answer, "I don't know. I prefer to think of myself as the master of my own fate."

Penguin mumbled something under his breath, before saying aloud, "What if I told you that we've done this before?"

"This _is_ the second time I've met you, Mr. Penguin." Edward reminded him, deciding to interpret Penguin's words literally.

The man laughed at this. Edward wasn't quite sure what was so amusing, but it didn't sound mocking or malicious. Penguin's genuine laughter was delightful and Edward smiled in return to it.

"Well, be that as it may, I'm afraid we won't have time to get better acquainted this time. I have business to attend and you should get some rest. And, please, call me Oswald" the Penguin patted Edward's leg and turned to leave.

As he got to the door, Edward called after him, "Another time then, Oswald!"


End file.
